


Wedding Date

by MicrosuedeMouse



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Confessions, Denial, F/M, First Kiss, Not-So-Platonic Dates, Oneshot, other people's weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 13:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13214832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MicrosuedeMouse/pseuds/MicrosuedeMouse
Summary: Gwen's been invited to an old friend's wedding, but she really doesn't want to go face all her old high school classmates alone - so she takes David. For some reason, everyone assumes that means they're dating...





	Wedding Date

**Author's Note:**

> Mmmmmm I've been trying to get this fic to cooperate with me since sometime in October. I think it's finally good. Really hope y'all enjoy it!
> 
> A few notes:  
> -as always, credit to Forest for the surnames Greenwood and Santos  
> -this is effectively canon compliant, though also compliant with the AU idea I've been toying with where David and Gwen work at a daycare instead of a summer camp. That's why the kids are talked about but the camp itself isn't directly mentioned!  
> -since both Gwen and her friend Jennica are Latina in this story, there are a couple bits with some Spanish. if you can't figure out the meaning from context clues, there'll be a translation in the endnotes!

“David.” She stood in front of him, hands splayed on the desk, face serious.

He looked up from his magazine, keeping his expression suitably sombre. “Gwen.”

“I need a favour.”

He nodded and put the magazine down, leaning forward. “Well, you know you can always count on me.”

And then Gwen sighed, a little of the determination seeping away, her shoulders drooping. “Okay, look,” she told him, sounding a little tired now. “I have this like… wedding coming up. A high school friend. We used to be really tight, but we’ve largely fallen out of touch… she really, really wants me to be there, though.”

“Okay,” he answered.

“And like…” She straightened up, glancing away and running a hand through her bangs. “Okay, so I don’t really talk to _anyone_ from high school any more, but Jennica is one of those people who’s still in touch with _everyone_ , so like half the guests at least are gonna be people I knew in school. And I really don’t want to deal with that on my own? Like, I _do_ still love Jennica and everything, in spite of the distance… I just like… I feel like I outgrew that crowd, and I have no idea what I’d do spending so much time around them all by myself, you know?” Her face turned sour. “Plus, if Facebook’s any indicator, at least one of my exes is gonna be there, so…”

“And what can I do to help?” David asked, wondering idly if she needed him to act as an alibi for some elaborately-constructed excuse. He didn’t mind, though it seemed a bit of a shame.

“Well, I… I just wanted to know if you’d be my plus one,” she said finally, her hand slipping to the back of her neck as she tossed him a sheepish grin. “Help me survive the experience.”

“Oh!” David smiled brightly. “Well, of course! That’s no trouble. What’s the date?”

Gwen sighed again, relieved this time. “Thanks, David,” she told him, laughing softly. “You’re a lifesaver.”

 

A few months later, David watched in mild amusement as Gwen pulled out her phone and checked her hair again. “You’re fine,” he told her gently, pulling a flower out of a jar by the entrance and tucking it behind her ear. “Stop fussing with it.”

She shot him a dirty look, slipping her phone back into her little purse and sighing. “This is just… weird,” she told him. “It’s making me antsy.”

“At least it’s not very formal,” he offered with a shrug, knowing how much she hated getting too dressed up. It was a somewhat casual summer affair, the theme ‘shabby boho chic,’ complete with all of the overdone clichés like mason jars and reclaimed wood signs. He wore grey slacks and a vest with a baby blue button-down – sleeves rolled above his elbows – and a sunny yellow tie; she had a flowy purple sundress falling to her knees paired with sandals and simple little elf braids trailing from her temples to the back of her head. The flower David had added to her hair matched the shade of her dress quite well, as it happened.

“Yeah. I guess that’s something.” She took a deep breath and set her shoulders. “Okay. Let’s do this. We only have to mingle for like, twenty minutes before the ceremony. That’s not so bad.”

“Not at all.” David followed her lead, strolling into the open grassy area where other guests were already chatting and drinking lemonade. He picked up a couple glasses – well, more mason jars actually – as they passed a table, handing her one. “Anyone you know?” he asked.

Before she could answer, somebody screeched. “ _Gwen!_ ” A thin, flouncy redhead in sky-high heels came trotting over, arms thrown wide. Gritting her teeth, Gwen quickly stuck her lemonade back in David’s hand and then slapped on a smile, returning the woman’s embrace.

“Lindsay, hi!” she answered cheerfully, in the saccharine-sweet voice that David knew by now she saved for only her most uncomfortable circumstances. “Wow, so good to see you!”

“It’s been _too long!_ ” Lindsay said enthusiastically, throwing her hair back over her shoulder. She glanced over at David, who smiled warmly. “And who’s _this?_ ”

“Uh, Lindsay, this is my friend David. David, this is Lindsay, I’ve known her since like… middle school.”

“A pleasure,” David said, reaching to shake the woman’s hand once Gwen had taken her lemonade back.

“Oh, likewise!” Lindsay said. Her grip was surprisingly strong, but eventually she did let go. “Aren’t you just adorable! Good work, Gwen!” The last part was said with a broad, knowing grin.

“What? Oh-” But Gwen didn’t have a chance to explain, because suddenly Lindsay held up a hand, wagging a finger that bore a glittering engagement ring.

“Oh! I almost forgot to mention! I’m locking it down myself pretty soon!” she cried, her energy boundless. Turning back towards the crowd, she called, “Brad, darling, come here!” A broad-shouldered man in all pastels emerged and headed their way. He was taller than Lindsay, even in her towering heels, and had a big, blinding-white smile. Lindsay latched onto his arm as soon as he arrived next to her. “Brad, honey, this is my old friend Gwen!”

“Nice to meet you,” he said, offering his hand. He and David shook hands as well, introducing themselves quickly, before Lindsay launched into her little love story.

“Brad and I met on campus in college. I worked in the Starbucks, you know, and he used to come in for coffee every Tuesday morning, and we always just had like, a _spark_ , you know? Eventually he asked me out, and it’s all history from there. He’s a cop, you know! I’m just _so_ lucky.”

“That’s amazing,” Gwen answered, with a surprisingly convincing facsimile of a genuine smile. “Listen, Linds, we’ll have to catch up later, but I really have to use the ladies’ room before the ceremony. Chat with you at the reception?”

“Absolutely! You’ll have to tell me all about how you met your boy David here!” Lindsay beamed.

“Oh, that’s pretty simple. We work together,” David responded, before Gwen grabbed him by the elbow and steered him away. She considered pointing out that Lindsay was assuming they were more than friends, but she didn’t feel ready to deal with that just yet. Almost automatically, she downed the remainder of her lemonade, then looked at the empty jar with mild distaste.

“I’m going to need something a little stronger than this to get through a whole conversation with Lindsay Barclay,” she muttered to herself.

“I’m sure they’ll break out the alcohol after the ceremony,” David told her calmly, taking her jar and putting it down on the nearest table. “Now, why don’t you go use the restroom, and then we can head over to find seats, sound good?”

She sighed. “That was kind of just an excuse I made up, but it’s probably not a bad idea. Back in a minute.” Glancing around until she spotted a twee wooden sign bearing a little person-in-a-dress silhouette, she set off.

 

They were only halfway through the ceremony – blessedly, the two of them had found seats near the back amongst the groom’s college friends, who were total strangers – when Gwen leaned over in her chair and muttered out of the side of her mouth, “You don’t know them, David. You don’t have to cry.”

“It’s just such– such a beautiful moment,” he sniffled, wiping his eyes and smiling. “Look at them, they’re so happy! They love each other so much!”

“I _know_ ,” she sighed. It was hard to miss – Jennica and Dominic practically had stars in their eyes. Gwen was happy for them, and everything, but it was a little much, too. Love was great and all, she just wasn’t super into the really sappy stuff. Handing David the little pack of travel tissues from her purse, she turned and looked back up.

Well. Jennica _did_ look genuinely blissful. And she deserved that. They may not have been as close any more, but if it came down to it, Gwen was pretty sure she was always in Jennica’s corner. The girl deserved good things, and it looked like the universe had found her something wonderful.

As the happy couple exchanged their vows, Gwen sniffed and snatched at the package in David’s hands. “Gimme one of those,” she muttered, not meeting his eye.

Relinquishing the tissues easily, David smiled again and patted her knee.

 

The reception, Jennica had made more than clear in her invitations and messages, was supposed to be the fun part. She wanted her guests to have a good time at her wedding. That was why they had the ceremony in the afternoon – so the whole evening could go towards the party.

Which meant that Gwen had a lot more talking-to-people to do before it was socially acceptable to leave.

As was more or less traditional, Gwen and David spent a while waiting for their turn to wish the newlyweds well. In the meantime Gwen found herself introducing David to a handful of old acquaintances, though luckily none of them stuck around for much conversation. Glancing around, she had estimated there were maybe around 150 guests or so; at least fifty or sixty of them, she figured, she knew.

“Gwen Santos, _pollito_ , is that you?” asked a friendly older voice. Gwen looked up in mild surprise, then gave the first truly genuine smile David had seen all afternoon.

Jennica’s mother and stepfather were approaching, her mother’s arms thrown wide. “Linda!” Gwen greeted, returning the hug. Around the woman’s shoulder, she waved to the man. “Hi, Javier!”

Linda let go and held Gwen out at arm’s length. “My, how you’ve grown up! I haven’t seen you since you girls graduated high school. How _are_ you doing?”

“Oh, I’m getting by,” Gwen answered, feigned modesty covering up the fact that ‘getting by’ was just about _all_ she was doing. “How are you guys, though? You must be so happy today!”

“Oh, we’re absolutely wonderful,” Linda answered.

“Have you met Dominic?” Javier asked. Gwen shook her head, and he went on, “Truly a lovely man, you know. I think even _you_ would approve.”

Gwen tossed David a toothy grin, only slightly sheepish. “I used to threaten Jennica’s boyfriends back in high school,” she explained. “But hey, only the best for _my_ friends. Especially ones as big-hearted as Jennica.”

“Speaking of boyfriends, who’s this?” Linda asked, a huge smile on her face.

“Hm? Oh!” Gwen shook her head quickly. “David’s not my boyfriend,” she laughed awkwardly. “Just a close friend. I felt weird coming alone, you know, because I really haven’t seen any of these people in so long, and I’m so terrible at reunions, so David came to keep me company… David, this is Jennica’s mom and stepdad, Linda and Javier Espinoza, also known as one of the main reasons I managed to survive my teen years.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” he told them, reaching out to shake each of their hands. “I suppose I should thank you for keeping her alive, given that sometimes I think _she’s_ one of the only reasons I’m surviving my twenties.”

Javier laughed, a big, booming sound to match his large frame. “We were happy to do it, but you’re welcome, of course.”

“What a gentleman!” Linda cooed, impressed. “And the two of you make such a sweet pair! Well, David, I’m glad you were able to come. I’d feel terrible if poor Gwen had to sit with _us_ old farts all night.”

“I don’t think I would have minded so much,” Gwen joked. “We’ll have to catch up a little bit sometime tonight, yeah?”

“Of course, darling, we’d love that,” Linda told her. “We’ll let you go for now though, it’s almost your turn to talk to Jennica!”

Gwen hugged Javier before the couple moved on, then looked at David again. “Man, you’re totally that friend that everyone’s parents _love_ , aren’t you? I didn’t even _think_ of that when I invited you.”

He grinned self-consciously, glancing away. “Well, I don’t know about _everyone’s_ parents,” he told her. “But I guess kind of? I dunno, parents seem to like manners.”

“Linda sure as hell does,” Gwen laughed. “No idea why she put up with _me_ for so long.”

David smiled again. “She and Javier seem lovely,” he commented.

She nodded. “They… parented me a lot more than my own parents when I was in high school. Jennica’s place was where I could go any time I couldn’t deal with being at home. They never asked any questions, never pushed, never tried to change my mind on anything… they just loved me and fed me and let me sleep in their house sometimes. They were always really good to me. I joke that I wouldn’t have survived without them, but like… I dunno. I don’t think I’d be _me_ without them, anyway.”

His soft smile only grew. “I’m really glad you had someone like that there for you,” he told her gently, with that warmth and kindness that sometimes radiated so powerfully from him it was overwhelming. She wasn’t used to it – except from the Espinozas. And even that she hadn’t received in a long time. “You deserve that.”

Gwen looked down. “Thanks.”

They were quiet for a moment, and then David nodded towards the newlyweds. “I think it’s our turn.”

“Right.” Snapping back to reality, Gwen lifted her gaze and led the way over towards Jennica and her new husband.

“Gwen!” Jennica cried, bouncing on her feet. “I’m so so happy you made it!”

Gwen’s smile was still genuine, David noted, as she closed in to hug the tiny bride. “Aw, Jennica, how could I miss your big day?” she asked. “You know I can’t disappoint you. It’s too heartbreaking.”

The girls broke apart to look at each other, Jennica wiping tears from her face – something she’d been doing pretty much constantly since the ceremony began. “Still, it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, and it means so much to have you here today,” she said.

“I’m glad I made it,” Gwen told her. Then, looking her up and down, she said, “God, look at you. I haven’t seen you looking so damn lovely since your _quincea_ _ñera_.”

“Oh, stop that,” Jennica told her, laughing. Grabbing her husband’s hand, she pulled him closer. “Gwen, this is Dominic! Dominic, Gwen was one of my closest friends _ever_ back in high school. We’ve barely seen each other since college and everything, but she’s still so important to me!”

“Nice to meet you, Gwen,” he answered with a big smile. “Pretty sure I’ve heard your name a couple times.”

Gwen sized him up, one hand on her hip in a mock display of careful appraisal. He was about twice the size of Jennica, a large black man with close-shaved hair, football shoulders, and an easy smile. Then she nodded. “Yeah, you seem okay,” she teased him. “And you get a conditional pass because Javier likes you. But be warned, if anything looks fishy to me tonight, you’re leaving on a stretcher.”

“Oh, don’t listen to her!” Jennica laughed. “She used to say that to _all_ my boyfriends.”

“Yeah, and I _distinctly_ remember tearing at least two of ‘em a new one,” Gwen answered, lifting her nose in the air. Then, leaning in, she half-joked, “But seriously, _chica_ , he does anything wrong and you call me up. I don’t care how long it’s been since we last spoke. I’ll throw down for you any day.”

Jennica laughed again and pulled Gwen in for a second hug. “I know I can count on you,” she giggled, but she was leaking tears yet again.

“By the way,” Gwen said as they parted. She gestured to David, who stepped forward from where he’d been waiting patiently to be introduced. “This is my friend David. David, Jennica. You should know he got _very_ choked up during the service.”

“It was a beautiful ceremony,” he defended himself with a grin, shaking Dominic’s hand. “The two of you clearly adore each other. Congratulations.”

“Aw, you’re too sweet!” Jennica cried. “C’mere!” She pulled him down into a quick hug, which he happily returned. “Thank you for coming!”

“You’re very welcome,” he told her.

“Really, we wish you all the best of luck,” Gwen said. “I really am happy for you, Jennica. I know you know I don’t really do the whole… big romantic thing, but you guys are obviously really happy, and that’s pretty cool.”

“Gwen, that might be the loveliest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Jennica giggled, wiping her eyes again. “Listen, I know I’m gonna be surrounded like, all night, but promise you’ll come see me again so we can catch up a little? Even if it’s only for five minutes? It’s just _so_ good to see you again.”

“Promise,” Gwen told her with a nod.

Not wanting to take up any more of the newlyweds’ time when there were others still waiting to speak to them, Gwen and David turned away and headed in the general direction of the table where hors d’oeuvres were being served. Sticking close to Gwen’s side, David said softly, “It was really nice to see you like that with someone. So… affectionate. And _happy_.”

She glanced at him sideways and then shrugged a little. “Like I told you, we used to be really close. It’s hard to get rid of a bond like that, even if you’ve been apart a long time.”

“Why do you think the two of you grew apart?” David asked. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he added when she looked at him again.

“I… don’t know. I mean, distance, I guess. We were far apart in college, and busy, and you know, life just… happens.” She looked down, smoothing her hair behind her ear. Her fingers caught the stem of the flower David had put there earlier, and she tucked it back into place, an absent smile pulling at one corner of her mouth for a second.

“I guess it does,” he agreed. “ _You_ can make things happen, though, too, you know. Not to tell you how to live your life. It just seems like you both genuinely want to reconnect a bit, and I get the feeling it would be good for you.”

Gwen paused as they reached the table, turning to look up at him carefully. He’d gotten so much more mature and level-headed in the last couple of years. It was easy to miss, especially when he was around the kids, who still ran circles around him so easily.

“What?” he asked after a moment, looking amused.

“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head and smiling a little. “You’re probably right.”

Yet again, they were interrupted before the conversation could go any further. “Gwen, Gwen!” Lindsay called, trotting towards them with two more women behind her. Gwen’s shoulders tensed, and she slapped on that super-fake grin before turning to face the trio. “There you are! Oh my god! You remember Sari and Amy, right?”

The other two – a shorter brown woman, round and soft, and a tall, toned blonde – smiled brightly. “Gwen, oh my god!” the blonde greeted. “Wow, it’s been forever!”

“Yeah, no kidding! Hi Amy!” Gwen answered. “And Sari! How’ve you been?”

“My residency is killing me, but that aside I’m great,” Sari told her, grinning.

“She’s totally curing cancer,” Amy added. “You gonna introduce us to your friend here?” She nodded toward David, raising her eyebrows and giving a meaningful smile.

“Uh, yeah, guys, this is David. David, this is Amy and Sari, some more folks from high school.” It was obvious that Gwen was already jonesing to escape the conversation, but there was nothing she could do. “I haven’t seen any of them since, like, grad, probably.”

“Lovely to meet you,” David said with a polite nod. He had that enviable amiability, the sheer warmth and pleasantness that made him instantly likable to almost anyone. Gwen thought she could probably leave the wedding and he’d do just fine on his own.

“And how do you know Gwen?” Sari asked.

“We work together!” David supplied cheerfully. “Have for several years now. We haven’t always gotten along, but we’ve gotten pretty close by now.”

Gwen resisted the temptation to rub her temples, wondering if he even knew how he made things sound. “For the record, we’re just– hahaha _hi_ , Derek,” she suddenly finished in a high pitch, changing tracks as she looked over Sari and Amy’s shoulders. A slim man dressed mostly in black, save for a green tie, was approaching with a grin on his face that clearly belonged to a troublemaker.

“Gwen, wow,” he laughed as he joined the little circle. “It’s been a while, huh? I heard you might be here, and I just had to come find you and catch up.”

“Yup, here I am,” she said uncomfortably, her smile growing toothier.

“That’s so wild,” he said, nodding. He turned to David, offering a hand. “Derek Garvey. Gwen and I actually dated for a while back in high school, if you can believe it!”

“David Greenwood,” David answered, his friendly mask remaining implacable. “I’m here with Gwen, you probably guessed.”

Gwen was forced to look up when Lindsay elbowed her unsubtly, offering a wide grin and a wink. What did she think was going to happen? That Derek and David were going to have a throwdown of some kind? Hardly. “Man, it is so weird to be reconnecting with so many people at once,” Gwen managed, her herculean effort not to sound strangled coming off mostly successfully. “I haven’t seen anyone from high school in so long.”

“It’s kind of like a mini reunion, isn’t it?” Sari chipped in. “I mean, I’ve been so busy with med school I’ve barely seen anybody in forever. This is so fun!”

“Fun, yeah,” Gwen agreed awkwardly.

“I’m having a _blast_ ,” Lindsay said. “I’m so glad Jennica invited so many of us from school – it is _so_ fun to see what everyone’s up to in their lives. I mean, I’ve kept track of a lot of these people, but definitely not everyone. Crazy how everyone’s like, exactly the same, even after all this time.”

Gwen managed to slowly extricate herself from the chatter, picking up some food from the table and excusing herself to ‘make the rounds, catch up with people’ when Derek asked where she was going. David followed, beginning to make a point of introducing himself to most of the people who approached Gwen so that she didn’t always have to do it herself. The small talk was clearly starting to get under her skin, and it was after they escaped a second small group of people that also somehow included Derek that she told him, “I’m gonna go get some fresh air for a second.”

“We’re outside,” David reminded her gently, gesturing vaguely at the grass below and sky above.

“I’m gonna go… take a minute,” she amended.

“That’s fine. Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, and there was concern in his eyes all of a sudden.

“No, no. I’m fine,” she assured him, though she knew he knew better. “I know you like all the chatting and the new people and stuff. I’ll only be a sec.”

He took the empty champagne flute – a miserably small glass, she had already lamented – from her hand, pausing to wrap his fingers around hers for a moment first. “Take more than a sec. You obviously need it,” he told her earnestly, looking her in the eye. “Dinner’s in fifteen minutes. Text me if you need longer than that and I’ll make an excuse for you, okay?”

She stopped, caught off guard by his sincerity and care. “I… yeah. Thanks. I’ll be back.”

He nodded, gave her an encouraging little smile, and turned back towards the crowd.

Gwen took a deep breath as she turned away, not even sure where she was going. At first she wandered out in the direction of the decorated arch at the entrance to the venue, but standing there she suddenly felt very visible and exposed. Anyone who looked up from the activity might spot her, and the last thing she wanted was for someone to wander out to check in on her. She took a few more breaths before heading in the direction of the washroom again.

She caught a glance of herself in the mirror as she passed – so uncharacteristically pretty, with the flowy dress and the flower in her hair and the fingernails she’d put two weeks’ effort into not chewing – before tucking herself into a stall with a long sigh, sitting down on the toilet and slumping over. It was too tiring out there: Derek wouldn’t stop lurking around her like he found something funny about it, people like Lindsay kept dragging her into conversations with old acquaintances she’d never truly liked, everyone seemed to be talking about their successful lives and she had so very little to contribute to that conversation…

She’d been sitting there for a few minutes, trying hard to calm down rather than stew, when she heard the washroom door open and a few sets of footsteps enter. Three people, it sounded like, though she couldn’t quite identify the voices as they chattered. She held her breath, not ready to be discovered. Watching their shoes through the gap under the stall door, she saw the women cluster around the sinks.

“Have you spoken to that guy that Gwen brought?” one of the women asked, catching her attention. She hadn’t been listening before – she didn’t really want to – but now she certainly was.

“Oh, the redhead? David, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Yeah! He’s cute, huh? Super nice guy.”

“Took me by surprise,” said the third voice. “He’s so different from anyone I remember her dating or hanging out with in school.”

“Right?” responded the first. “It’s so weird. He seems totally sweet and put together.”

Gwen tried not to snort. David only seemed put together to strangers. If they saw him on a daily basis like she did… well.

“Yeah! To be honest, I can’t believe she bagged a guy like that. I mean, not to be mean. She could totally have changed a lot since school. But it’s still a surprise.”

Gwen’s shoulders stiffened. She’d been making a point all afternoon of clarifying, anytime she could get a word in edgewise, that she and David _weren’t_ a couple, but she wasn’t sure how often she was heard, or believed. Mostly, people either didn’t give her the chance to say it at all or seemed to get the impression that she was downplaying a relationship because it was new, or something. Really, why had she _ever_ thought she could bring him to an event like this and not have people make assumptions about them?

“I was thinking the same thing!” exclaimed the woman who’d spoken first. “He just like… seems so not her type, and she kinda seems like she wouldn’t be that kind of guy’s type? I don’t know. I guess they kinda seem like they’re not… in the same… league. God, that sounds so rude, but I don’t know how else to put it, you know?”

Yeah. It did sound rude, come to think of it. Gwen’s stomach turned in a way she couldn’t quite account for.

“You’re right though. I’m super surprised she found a man like him. Like, _I’d_ date him, you know? I never would have thought I’d say that about someone dating a girl like Gwen. Again, like, I don’t wanna rag on Gwen. We just never had anything in common, you know? So it’s really strange to see her here with him.”

“Did you hear him talking with Ken? He was telling David about his work – because he’s a biologist, right, and doing some kind of study on a swamp or something? – and it sounds like David is, like, super outdoorsy. Really passionate about it. They really got going.”

Gwen rolled her eyes – albeit a little weakly – and shook her head. Of course David would get super into a conversation like that. Though, now that she thought about it, that didn’t sound so bad. She couldn’t relate, but Ken had always been a relatively decent guy.

“Man, that’s adorable. So weird, though. Definitely not the kind of guy I could imagine shacking up with Gwen Santos.”

“Life is strange, you know?” one of them said, something about her tone suggesting a shrug. “I guess there’s just a lot you can’t explain. I mean, good for her, if it lasts. Like, super good for her. He seems like a serious catch.”

“Yeah, for sure.” A pause. “Okay, we should get going. Don’t wanna be late for dinner.”

The three of them left the bathroom, and Gwen let out a long breath. Everything they’d said was rattling around her skull, even though she didn’t want to think about it. What did they _mean_ , they were impressed she could find a man like David? What was it about her that precluded any possibility of someone like David liking someone like her? Sure, she might get down on herself a fair amount, but that didn’t mean she was interested in taking shit from others.

Especially from girls who had, undoubtedly, been talking about her in that same shallowly-nice fashion since their early teens.

Gwen picked herself up off the toilet, smoothed her skirt, and exited the stall. Washing her hands – she may not have used the toilet, but she sure didn’t need bathroom germs on her dinner – she looked at herself in the mirror. Adjusted the little flower behind her ear again.

She _wasn’t_ dating David, but fuck it, if the idea was so impressive, she wasn’t going to stop anyone from believing it. There was no need to lie – everyone was making the assumption on their own. Few had taken her corrections at face value, and David was too oblivious to catch on to the implications. So she’d just stop denying it for the night.

With that, she straightened her shoulders, then left the washroom, marching back down to the crowd gathering under the big white dining tent.

“Hey,” she said a few minutes later, spotting David at one of the round little dinner tables and slipping into the empty seat next to him. “Sorry I’m late.”

“You’re really not,” he assured her. “The food hasn’t been served yet, so.”

“Where are our tablemates?” she asked, glancing across the table. There was a jacket hung over one of the other two chairs. “For that matter, _who_ are our tablemates?”

“They ran to wash their hands,” he answered. “Do you know a guy named Ken Yamada? It’s him and his wife, Miyako.”

“Ken’s married?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “Well damn. Good for him. He deserves that.”

One side of David’s mouth lifted in an amused smile. “That’s a surprise?”

“Yeah, kinda,” she admitted. “I mean, he was always really nice. But a little on the passive side, and super nerdy. The only thing that stopped him from getting pushed around too much was that he grew like a foot in the seventh grade and spent the next three years as the biggest guy in our grade.” She bit down on a little smile. “Actually, he’s kind of like Space Kid. Like, he got pushed around and usually wasn’t taken super seriously, but he was too optimistic and trusting and passionate about his chosen subject to really notice or mind when people were unkind.”

“He seems really interesting,” David told her. “He’s a biologist, and mostly works on environmentalism studies. He was telling me all about this study he’s doing in the wetlands near the university where he works – it sounds fascinating!”

“I’m sure,” Gwen laughed. Of course David would think so. Well, sitting with Ken wouldn’t be too bad – she had never known him _well_ , but she’d known him for most of her life, and there had never been any hard feelings between them that she knew of. He was, as she’d already said, a perfectly decent guy.

“Gwen! There you are!” Ken said as he returned to the table, his wife right behind him. A broad-shouldered Japanese man with a wide grin, he leaned across the table to shake Gwen’s hand before sitting down across from her. His wife took the seat between them, facing David. “Man, it’s been a while! How are you?”

“Still kickin’,” she answered, because she thought Ken probably had a good enough sense of humour that she could get away with a joke instead of an outright fib. “How about you? I hear you’re married and everything,” she said, turning to give his wife a smile.

“Yeah! Gwen, this is Miyako! Honey, this is Gwen Santos – I’ve known her since, I don’t know, grade school I guess?”

“Yeah, sometime in there,” Gwen confirmed when he shot her a questioning glance. “Not sure when we actually first met, but I don’t think I can really remember a time before you were around.”

“So nice to meet you,” Miyako greeted cheerfully, and when she smiled it suddenly made perfect sense that she and Ken were married. They had the exact same sort of relaxed contentment about them. “I haven’t had a chance to meet many people that Ken grew up with! We live out in Washington, near Ken’s school.”

Gwen smiled. “I mean, we were never tight, but he’s been a good guy as long as I can remember,” she said. “Hell, in middle school I think he was usually the only guy I could consistently stand to be around. He kind of skipped that painfully obnoxious phase most of ‘em go through at that age.”

Miyako laughed. “I can believe that. Hopefully the little one will inherit that luck from him,” she added, winking and patting her belly.

“Oh, no way!” Gwen cried, looking back and forth between Ken and his wife in surprise. “For real?”

Miyako grinned wider and nodded. “I know it’s not really showing,” she said. “But it should soon. We’re at around fourteen weeks.”

“Congratulations!” David said excitedly. Gwen glanced over and snorted at the way his eyes were sparkling. “Oh, that’s so exciting! I’m so happy for you guys!”

“We’re pretty pumped,” Ken admitted, beaming and sliding a hand over his wife’s on the tabletop. “Like, it’s kinda crazy, but I can’t wait to meet this kid.”

“Oh, with you two as parents, that is going to be one _beautiful_ baby,” David gushed. “And _brilliant_ , too.”

Gwen, laughing, rolled her eyes and glanced over at Miyako again. “We work with kids,” she explained. “He’s a bit keener on them than I am.”

Miyako laughed. “Are you not such a fan?”

“I mean, I don’t _hate_ them,” Gwen answered. “Not really. But, like, eight-to-twelve-year-olds are kind of a nightmare. They’re completely amoral and have basically no sense of self-preservation and they are _impossible_ to control.”

“Oh come on,” David argued, but he was laughing a little, himself. “They’re not _so_ bad.”

“He’s blinded by his inhumanly high levels of love and optimism,” Gwen said.

Ken laughed. “So, is that how you guys met?” he asked as the caterers approached their table with their dinners. Miyako and Ken had both gone for the vegetarian option, Gwen noticed. “At work?”

David nodded. “We’ve been working together for a few years,” he said. “We didn’t get along great at the start, but I think we’ve worked out most of our differences by now. We’re pretty close, I think!” He glanced at Gwen, who smiled a bit.

“You could say that,” she agreed, rolling her eyes good-naturedly again.

Soon they had to quiet down for the toasts, which were lovely, and set David crying again. Gwen didn’t leak any tears herself, though she had to admit that the Maid of Honour – Jennica’s older stepsister – gave a rather moving speech. After that Ken and David returned to their conversation about Ken’s work, which Gwen was more than content to listen to. She may not be following all of it, but both men were quite excited about it, which made it entertaining. Miyako – who was a biologist as well, it turned out – made occasional contributions, though mostly she left it up to her husband and focussed on eating her dinner. She was, understandably, voracious.

Sometime around dessert, Ken asked David more about what _he_ did, and then Gwen found herself roped into retelling a variety of stories about the kids – mostly about some of Max’s most creative, or most hilariously failed, escape attempts. “No, you’ve got it backwards,” she pointed out to him at one point. “They stole QM’s hook _before_ dinner – that’s why we had to cook. That spare he put on was so rusty we couldn’t let him anywhere _near_ the food.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right,” David laughed, putting a hand on her arm. “I’d completely forgotten that part, oh my gosh. We were trying to cook and supervise the kids at the same time, and then Harrison magicked up all that ice he couldn’t get rid of and it started melting in the middle of the floor…”

“And then there goes Nurf – _slam_ , on his ass,” Gwen giggled, illustrating the fall with her hands. “Oh my god, I know it was mean, but I almost pissed myself laughing. I mean, that look on his _face_.”

David’s free hand went over his eyes. “Oh, Gwen, don’t make me picture it,” he told her, biting his lip. “I had to work _so hard_ not to laugh at the time…”

By the end of the story, all four of them were in stitches, and Gwen and David could barely talk. His hand was still on her arm, fingers digging lightly into her forearm as he laughed, but she didn’t really mind. She wasn’t going to shake him off, anyway. His palm was pleasantly warm.

 

Dinner and dessert were pleasant – even, Gwen later reflected, downright lovely. She would never have predicted that catching up with Ken Yamada would be so nice, but she was glad he and Miyako were their tablemates. They were great to talk to, and Ken and David in particular were fast friends. She even watched them trade contact info before the meal was over. She was glad, really – not only for a positive experience at least out of part of the wedding, but also to know that Ken was doing so well in life. There were a lot of people you never thought about after graduation, but if anyone deserved this happiness, he certainly did. It was easier to swallow the successes of people like Lindsay Barclay when she knew that more likable people were doing well, too.

After the caterers cleared the tables, which were arranged cabaret-style around the dance floor, everyone sat back to watch the first dance. Jennica and Dominic made a graceful pair, and Gwen whispered an amused comment to Ken about Jennica clearly having found herself a man who appreciated dance as much as she did.

Before too long the lights went back up and the rest of the guests were invited to dance as well, an old friend of Dominic’s playing the part of DJ. Ken and Miyako were smiling broadly as they stood, hand-in-hand, to approach the dance floor. After watching them leave, Gwen turned to David and laughed slightly at his outstretched hand.

“Come on,” he encouraged her, a bit amused himself. “I know you’re a good dancer. We’re here, and we should have some fun, don’t you think?”

“Oh, fine,” she conceded, still laughing. “You got me. Yeah, let’s go.” She took his hand and let him pull her excitedly out of her seat. He loved to dance, she already knew from work, and he wasn’t too bad at it. A bit of a dork, but he owned it, so it was all right. And he was genuinely pretty good at partner dancing.

The playlist transitioned back and forth between faster and slower songs pretty smoothly, and in the music choices Gwen recognized the same taste she remembered Jennica having in high school. Mostly she stuck with David for slower dances – though she did accept a friendly invitation from Ken once, as well as one from Javier – and when the more energetic ones came around, she and David joined groups a bit, often with Ken and Miyako. When she let herself drift away from David a little, Gwen didn’t dance much with old classmates – it just felt strange – but she did let herself enjoy the company of Jennica’s family, whom she knew, and even strangers such as Dominic’s friends and family sometimes. Strangers were far less intimidating than people from high school, it turned out. But that was hardly surprising.

She spent probably a good thirty or forty minutes on the dance floor before she started to need a break. She tapped David’s shoulder to get his attention and let him know she was going to take a breather, then glanced around the tent to find herself a good place to sit. She was a little surprised to notice that her cheeks hurt from smiling – real, genuine smiling – as she finally spotted the perfect table and made her way across the floor.

She let out a breath as she sat down in the corner with Linda and Javier. “I forgot how _much_ Jennica loves to dance,” she told them with a smile.

“Oh, she won’t stop all night,” Javier agreed, laughing. “I hope everyone’s got plenty of energy left.”

“I just need a little break,” Gwen answered, holding her fingers close together to illustrate. “I’ll go back and join her again soon. But I did promise to come catch up with you guys for a while, as well.”

“You’re leaving David up there all alone?” Linda teased.

“He’ll be fine,” Gwen assured her, waving a hand dismissively. “I’ve seen him lead rowdy children in dance lessons for literally seven hours straight, with only a half-hour lunch break. Don’t ask,” she added, noting their curious looks.

“And you don’t mind him dancing with other ladies?” Linda asked, her knowing grin growing wider.

Gwen snorted. “Hardly. Like I told you, he’s just a friend. I needed moral support to make it through a night like this.”

“I don’t know,” Linda teased. “Jennica seems to think you’re an item. I would’ve thought you’d set her straight on that, if you weren’t.”

“Oh… well,” Gwen said, shrugging and glancing over at the dance floor. “You know. I’ve had to say it so many times tonight, and half the time no one believes me, so I guess I just gave up.”

Linda and Javier exchanged smiles. “Gwen, _pollito_ ,” Javier said. “I’ve never known you to let people believe something about you that you didn’t want them to.”

She arched an eyebrow at him, straightening up in her seat and feigning offense. “Come on, now, Javier. You’ve barely seen me in years. Maybe I’ve mellowed out.”

“Not a chance,” he laughed, and she deflated and stuck out her tongue.

Linda reached over and poked Gwen gently in the side with one beautifully manicured fingernail. “Oh, come on, _chica!_ If that man is a bachelor, he’s an eligible one for certain,” she said. “Sweet, polite, handsome, loves children… and honestly, he clearly thinks the world of you. Are you telling me that doesn’t soften your icy heart in the _least?_ ”

Gwen made a face, scrunching up her nose. “I just… can’t think of him that way,” she replied, albeit not entirely convincingly. “I’ve known him for so long.”

“ _Chica_ ,” Linda said again, giving her an unimpressed look. “Javi and I have known each other since before I even married Jennica’s father. He’s one of my oldest friends. You can know someone your whole _life_ and still not fall for them until much later.”

“Yeah, but it’s not _like_ that with me and David,” Gwen complained. “He’s just… he’s just a friend. Dating David just wouldn’t make any _sense_.” Though she was suddenly drawing a blank when it came to actual reasons why.

“Love isn’t about sense, Gwen,” Javier reminded her, smiling. “You used to know that! You can’t tell me there was any sense in any of your high school relationships.” She tossed him a dirty look, and he winked.

“Take a moment,” Linda suggested, “and listen a little less to this…” she tapped Gwen’s head. “…and a little more to this.” She tapped Gwen’s chest, over her heart. “Just for a few minutes. See what you find.”

“You’re talking nonsense, Linda,” Gwen told her, but her voice was strained now. The fact was, she didn’t _want_ to shut off her brain and listen to her feelings.

“Yes. Nonsense. No sense,” Linda agreed. “Heart only. You might find something interesting there! You and David obviously have a good relationship and think well of each other. And there’s a little chemistry at least, _pollito_ , I can see it when I watch you. That sounds like the foundation for a _wonderful_ romance.”

Gwen was searching hard for a firmer excuse when David suddenly emerged from the dance floor and approached them, perching on the last chair at the table. “Coming back soon?” he asked, fixing Gwen with his biggest, most beautiful grin.

“God, David, I just needed a little rest,” she laughed. “Don’t you have enough dancing companions over there?”

“Sure,” he agreed readily. “But you’re my favourite!”

“Is this what happens to you after _two_ coolers?” she asked with a snort.

He grinned wider, getting up and taking her hands loosely. He moved her arms back and forth, swaying in place and saying, “Come on. You and I are _great_ dancing partners. There are hours of hairbrush karaoke to prove it,” he said. “You can’t be tired already.” He looked up in surprise as the song changed. “You love this song! Come onnn, please?”

“Okay, okay,” she laughed. “I’m coming.” She glanced back at Linda and Javier, who were wearing massive smiles, and stuck her tongue out at them again as she let David pull her out of her chair.

“Give it some thought,” Linda called after her as she left.

David had a firm grip on her left hand, and she let him lead her into a gap in the dance floor. He didn’t let her go then, though; instead he kept his fingers locked in hers and began to dance. She was slightly surprised, but all things considered, what was the harm? She danced with him, laughing at his tipsy antics and letting him spin her around.

It felt good.

“You’re losing your flower,” he murmured as they slowed down between songs. Reaching up at first just to fix it, he instead pulled it out and showed it to her. “Getting a little wilted,” he pointed out.

“That’s a shame,” she said. “I liked it.”

“I’ll find you another one later,” he offered.

“That’s very sweet of you,” she told him with a smile. He returned it.

The new song was a little slower, and around them people were pairing off to dance. Gwen waited a second to see what David wanted to do, and when he pulled her in and raised his eyebrows in a question, she laughed softly and nodded. “Sure.”

She was going to avoid looking back at Linda and Javier, because she knew _exactly_ what expressions she would see on their faces.

Gwen sighed contentedly and leaned her head on David’s shoulder for a moment.

“Getting tired?” he asked, his jaw brushing against the top of her head as he glanced down.

“No… worn out, I guess,” she answered quietly. “Not physically tired. Just mentally.”

“Gotcha.” He nodded. “Well, at least as long as we’re dancing no one is trying to talk with you.”

“Yeah. I like this better,” she admitted with another small laugh. “Thanks for coming with me. I don’t think I’d’ve made it this far without you.”

“Well, thanks for inviting me,” he responded. “I’ve had fun, and I’m glad I was able to ease the stress for you. It seems like this worked out well.”

She nodded against his shoulder. “Yeah.”

When the song changed again a minute later, they both glanced up as someone approached from the side. “Can I cut in?” Derek asked, still wearing that grin that suggested some private joke was bringing him great amusement. “Just for old time’s sake. You know, unless your new beau’s too protective.”

“Not unless there’s something I actually need protecting from. So pretty much the only time I’ve seen David get protective was when I had a badly twisted ankle and we stumbled across a mother bear with cubs,” Gwen answered. “Otherwise, he knows I can protect myself.”

“I actually think you’ve protected me more often than I’ve protected you,” David observed quietly, almost as if he was thinking out loud. It was directed entirely at her, no acknowledgement of Derek’s presence; his eyes were focussed somewhere past her as he got briefly lost sifting through memories.

“Anyway,” she continued slowly, “…No. I’m quite content right where I am.”

“Aw, c’mon,” Derek pressed, his tone almost taunting her. “Not even for one song?”

“No thanks,” she said firmly. “I dumped you for being an ass back in eleventh grade and clearly nothing has changed, so.” She adjusted her grip on both David’s hand and his shoulder, driving her point home with her confidence in her current position.

Derek laughed; it had always been his default reaction to everything. It was one of his worst qualities. “Okay, okay. I get the picture. I’ll see you later, then.” He melted back into the crowd and disappeared.

“What a dick,” Gwen commented idly, before leaning into David again. After a moment, she said more quietly, “Thanks.”

“What for now?” David asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

“I… wouldn’t have had it in me to say no to him, if I’d been alone here all night,” she admitted. “It’s a weakness. I have too many exes like him, because guys like him appeal to my inherent sense of self-loathing, I guess. And I’m too easily sucked back into that when I’m vulnerable.” She leaned her forehead on his shoulder again, so that he couldn’t see her face.

David squeezed her hand, pulled gently against the hip where his other hand rested, some approximation of a comforting hug. “You deserve better than that. You know that, right?”

“I do when I’m around you,” she answered, barely loudly enough for him to hear.

“I guess that’s something.” He rested his cheek against her hair. “Why is he even here, anyway? I mean, he seems like an all-around jerk, and Jennica strikes me as too sweet to want a friend like him.”

“Mm,” she agreed. “Jennica’s family and Derek’s have been next-door neighbours and close friends for like, twenty-something years. Not inviting him would’ve been a huge snub. Like not inviting… I dunno… a close cousin, or something.” She glanced up, then gestured to a middle-aged couple dancing lazily by the edge of the floor, merely holding each other and swaying a bit. “Those are his parents.”

“They look so nice,” he answered, watching them for a moment. “To have a son like that.”

“Yeah. He’s a mutant. I dunno.” Gwen shrugged. “I wish his sister could’ve come. She’s a sweetheart, you’d like her. But I guess she’s a flight attendant these days. She’s in like, Greece or something right now?”

“I’d fly all over the world too, if I had a brother like him,” David said. Gwen giggled, leaning her head against him again.

“ _Ustedes dos son el par m_ _ás dulce_ , Gwen,” an elderly voice said nearby, and they both looked up again. Seeing the speaker, Gwen smiled gently.

“ _Gracias_ , _abuela_ ,” she said to Jennica’s grandmother. “ _Ya sabes, t_ _ú y abuelo son muy dulces ustedes mismos_.”

The old woman smiled and turned to look at her husband, who only smiled. “ _¡Estamos!_ ” she agreed, laughing. “ _Ustedes dos nos me recuerdan a nosotros, cuando éramos jóvenes_.”

“ _Eres tan amable,_ ” Gwen answered, charmed in spite of herself.

“ _Me alegra que est_ _és feliz ahora, querida,_ ” Jennica’s grandmother said, her face kindly. “ _Te lo mereces._ ”

“ _Gracias, abuela,_ ” Gwen said again. “ _Te amo._ ”

“ _Te amo,_ ” the woman answered, letting go of her husband’s hand for a moment to reach over and pat Gwen’s arm before the couple danced away again.

When Gwen looked up at David again, he was grinning ear to ear. “She’s adorable,” he commented.

“Yeah,” Gwen agreed, laughing at him. “She’s a sweetheart. They’re Javier’s parents. Don’t speak a lick of English, really. But they were around the house a lot when I used to hang out with Jennica in high school. They embraced me as part of the family just as much as Linda and Javier did – always insisted I call them grandma and grandpa, and everything.”

“That sounds wonderful,” he told her, looking genuinely enchanted by the concept.

Gwen nodded. “And _abuela’s_ a hell of a cook, too. God, the things I would do for that woman’s dinner spreads.”

“I can’t believe you’ve never told me about these people before,” he said. “When you talk about your own family, it’s clear there isn’t much for you at home. But it sounds like you had a real family for a while with the Espinozas.”

She shrugged. “I guess I felt like it was part of the past, and I didn’t want to dredge up old things. You know how hard I try not to dwell.”

“It seems like it doesn’t have to be the past, if you don’t want it to be,” he pointed out.

She looked away, at nothing in particular, while she considered that. He was right, of course. He’d been right about just about everything tonight. “I guess,” she finally said, softly.

David was quiet for a minute while they danced. Then, shifting his hands as the song approached its end, he asked, “Have you gotten to go catch up with Jennica yet?”

“No,” she answered, shrugging again. “She’s been so busy, and you know…”

“You promised her you would, though,” he said gently. “And she’s sitting down right now, so…” Gwen looked up and he inclined his head towards one side of the dance floor, where Jennica was sitting at one of the tables, drinking a glass of water and chatting with a guy that Gwen recognized vaguely as one of her cousins. Dominic was off to one side with, she assumed, his parents.

“Thought you wanted to dance,” she teased him.

“I suppose I could use a break,” he answered, smiling a little. “I’m a little hungry, and something to drink wouldn’t hurt either.”

“You’re supposed to drive me home,” she reminded him. He laughed.

“Yes. I meant water.” As the song ended, he pushed her away just slightly, towards Jennica. “Go talk for a few minutes. I can fend for myself.”

“Oh, okay,” she sighed, rolling her eyes, but she was smiling. “Thanks,” she added, more towards the floor than him, before she turned and headed in the direction of her friend.

“Gwen!” Jennica cried excitedly when she saw her approaching. She turned and said something to her cousin, who nodded and got up, giving Gwen a friendly nod. She took the seat he had vacated, laughing as Jennica grabbed her hand as if to make sure she stayed put. “I’m glad you spotted me! I think this is the quietest moment I’ve had all night… I’ve really been looking forward to talking to you, though!”

Gwen couldn’t help smiling. “You always did love me more than I deserved,” she joked, and she knew that Jennica would know she was using self-deprecation to deflect from her emotions. But that was okay.

“I know I said it earlier, but I’m just _so_ glad you made it,” Jennica said, ignoring Gwen’s joke. “I’ve missed you lately, you know that? And I wasn’t really sure if you’d want to come. I know you’re not really in touch with many people from high school any more…”

Gwen smiled sheepishly. “You see right through me,” she admitted. “I definitely… _considered_ not coming. It’s a weird crowd to be around, for sure. But I couldn’t miss your special day, _chica_. You should know that.”

“Oh, I do…” Jennica squeezed her hand. “But you know me. I couldn’t help worrying a little.”

“If I’m honest, I would never have survived this long without David,” Gwen told her. “He’s kindly been offering me… an anchor point, I guess, and an escape from old acquaintances when I need it. It’s been a big help.”

“Oh, right! Tell me more about him!” Jennica said, leaning in. “What’s the deal with you two?”

Gwen rolled her eyes, feeling a little awkward. She remembered what Linda had said about Jennica thinking she and David were together, and thought about maintaining her little ruse, but she couldn’t really lie to Jennica. “There’s no deal. He’s a coworker, and a friend, somehow. We’re two pretty different people, but you spend long enough stuck with someone and you’d be surprised how tight you can get, you know?”

Jennica grinned. “I know, honey. I couldn’t stand Dominic when we first met.”

“No way!” Gwen laughed. “He’s exactly your type, though!”

“I’m serious!” Jennica told her, giggling. “I don’t know why, he just irritated me. We were put into a group together in a class and had to work together all semester. It was one of my required courses and just an elective for him, so maybe I didn’t feel like he was taking it seriously? I don’t know. But by the end of the term he asked me out, and… I mean, you can figure out the rest, I guess.” She grinned.

“That’s ridiculous,” Gwen snorted.

“I know,” Jennica agreed. “But hey, David – he seems like real sweetheart, huh?  I’m glad you have a friend like that around.”

“Yeah, me too,” Gwen admitted with a nod. Her gaze shifted away from Jennica, searching the tent until she spotted David, leaning on the buffet table and chatting with Ken again while he sipped at a glass of water. “I mean, I have a handful of college friends too, but I spend so much of my time with David… I’m grateful we get along so well. He can drive me crazy sometimes, but we’re a really good team, and I know he’s got my back. And you’re right, he’s a sweetie. To a fault.” She played idly with Jennica’s fingers, an old, thoughtful habit that came back easily without her even having to think about it. “I dunno. He’s one of the good ones, I guess. To a degree that I wouldn’t have believed before I met him.”

“Aw, hon, he sounds great,” Jennica said, charmed. “I’m so happy you’ve got someone looking out for you. You deserve that.”

Gwen half-smiled, looking at Jennica again. She seemed earnest.

“What’re you so amused about?” Jennica asked, smiling back.

“Nothing,” Gwen answered. “I’m just a little surprised you’re not telling me to date his ass. Your parents won’t let it go.”

Jennica laughed. “You know that’s what my mom is like,” she said. “Anyway, it seems to me like if you and David are meant to be, it’ll shake itself out in time. From my perspective, you’re in the right position for it right now. If it’s right, it’ll all fall into place before long. And if it’s not, that’s okay, too.”

“Since when were you so cavalier about relationships?” Gwen teased. “You used to hunt boys down like a predator, capturing them before they had a chance to get away.”

Jennica giggled again. “Yeah, I tried to chill in college,” she said. “And then things with me and Dom came when I wasn’t expecting anything. It’s changed my perspective, a little.”

“Who’da thunk,” Gwen laughed. “Well, I guess I appreciate it.”

Jennica rested her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand. “But your love life’s hardly the only thing there is to talk about. What else has been going on in the last few years? Where are you working? How are your folks?”

The two of them had about fifteen minutes to talk before someone else came by, and Gwen was impressed with how much catching up they managed to fit into that conversation. Before getting up to visit with some of Dominic’s family for a while, Jennica promised Gwen they were going to stay in touch, and gave her another warm hug. Gwen believed the promise, actually, and even promised the same thing in return. David had been right – catching up had felt good, and she wanted to keep Jennica in her life again.

“Oh! By the way!” Jennica added, turning back. “The last song is coming up in a little while, around eleven I think? So you better grab your boy!”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “I thought you _weren’t_ going to be that way!” she complained.

“I’m not!” Jennica laughed. “But I want _everyone_ to dance the last dance with us, and I figure you’d rather dance with David than like, Derek or Yannick or someone!” Leaning closer as Gwen pulled a face, she added with a grin, “And if something happens between you two tonight, you can thank me later.”

“Woman!” Gwen grouched. Then she added in a mumble, “Also, god, you invited Yannick?”

“What!” Jennica answered, laughing again. “I’m just saying, you know, weddings always kinda put people in a certain _mood_ , you know?” She winked and turned away again, catching back up with Dominic’s brother.

Gwen sighed and shook her head, both exasperated and amused. Jennica had grown up, but she was still the same as ever. Not wanting to get up from her seat just yet, she looked across the room again. David was still by the buffet, a small group having formed around him and Ken. On his right was another girl she recognised from high school – Kendra Baker, she placed after a moment. She was blatantly flirting with David, Gwen could tell even from a distance without being able to hear a word – but David was as blissfully naïve as ever. Gwen couldn’t help feeling a little bit of satisfaction at that, though she refused to consider why. She _knew_ why, given the way the day had been going, but she sure wasn’t going to think about it.

She watched for another minute or two before finally getting up and walking around the dancefloor to join him on the far side, sliding her way into the small knot of people with more skill than she had ever had in high school. Ken shifted aside to let her stand between him and David, greeting her with a smile and a nod.

“How goes it, Davey-boy?” she asked.

“I’m great, Gwen!” he answered, as bubbly as ever. “I was just telling another work story! Do you recall the Trenchcoat Incident?”

“Oh boy,” she muttered, suppressing a smile as she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it…”

David slung an arm easily around her shoulders, chuckling. “I was just getting to the part with Preston…”

It was a strange experience, telling a story and having a bunch of people from high school laugh at it. She had never done anything so normal with this group of people back when she was around them every day. Very few had even really given her the time of day – and if they had, it was probably only because she was close to Jennica. In fact, Ken was the only person she’d seen at the wedding that didn’t fall into that category and had also never dated her. But now, with David to grease the wheels of social nicety, it was like she was a real person with valuable contributions to make. She couldn’t quite decide how she felt about it. But she did like being paid attention to, and making people laugh, and the warmth of David’s arm across her shoulders.

“Gwen, I heard you were here! I’ve been looking for you all evening!” someone said cheerfully, pushing his way into the circle. She looked up and barely prevented herself from grimacing. Somehow, even though Jennica had mentioned that Yannick was here only a short while ago, she had already forgotten.

“Uh, hi, man,” she answered awkwardly. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah!” A gawky, odd-looking guy, Yannick ran a hand back through his hair – just as long as it had been in high school, but considerably cleaner and less greasy, Gwen had to admit. “Things’ve been so busy I couldn’t find you until just now! But I’d love to catch up if you’ve got a few minutes to spare? Or maybe we could dance?”

She almost felt bad. He seemed less creepy now than he had ten years ago, and more just awkward and a little socially inept. He might even be a nice guy these days – after all, there had to be a reason Jennica had invited him – but their history just made her too uncomfortable. So when the DJ announced that the last song was coming up in a couple of minutes, she thanked her lucky stars. “Aw, man, I’m sorry Yannick, but David has a claim on my last dance,” she said, putting on a surprisingly apologetic tone as she touched David’s arm. “Oh – have you guys met? Yannick, this is David, he came with me tonight – David, this is Yannick Tanet, I’ve known him since high school.”

David, it seemed, had been paying enough attention to pick up on the cues – both from Gwen and from a few of the others in the conversation, including Ken. He leaned forward to shake Yannick’s hand, but with slightly less enthusiasm and overt friendliness than he afforded most people. “Nice to meet you,” he said, smiling like a regular person instead of a human golden retriever.

“Oh, hey,” Yannick said, smiling back as he shook David’s hand. “Yeah, sorry, didn’t mean to ignore you there! Me and Gwen go way back, I was just kind of excited to see her.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine,” David answered, waving it off. “Don’t worry about it. I’d be excited to see her too!”

Gwen chewed her lip for a second, considering. “Um, we should probably hit the dance floor,” she said slowly. “And after the last dance I guess we’ll head out – it’s a longish drive back home. But, uh… Yannick, hit me up on Facebook or something, okay? You’re right, we should catch up. Sorry there wasn’t time tonight.”

“Sure!” he answered, lighting up. She wondered if that had been the right decision on her part, but she felt guilty now, because he was clearly making an effort to be friendly.

As she and David headed for the dance floor again, he tossed her a questioning look. “I’ll explain later,” she promised.

The last dance was nice – the floor was crowded, because Jennica had goaded just about _everyone_ onto it, but the experience was pleasant somehow. Even if a lot of the other guests were people Gwen didn’t much care for, there was something she could appreciate about this, about a hundred-plus people all coming together to celebrate the joy of one of her most beloved friends.

She concentrated on that, instead of the feeling of David’s hand on her waist and her head on his shoulder.

After the dance it was finally time to disperse. David waited politely while Gwen said goodbye to Linda and Javier, and then Javier’s parents, and then Jennica’s stepsisters, and a handful of other extended family, and then finally the bride and groom themselves. Jennica and Gwen shared one more long hug, Jennica crying again – she seemed to be crying over _every_ goodbye – and David shaking Dominic’s hand and offering his congratulations again.

Outside of the tent the night had grown chilly, and Gwen rubbed her arms, thinking of the bolero sweater she had left in David’s car. People were wandering in pairs and small groups out towards the parking lot, but by now she had fully given up on acknowledging anyone else. She was worn out and ready to go home.

David paused on the way out, pulling another flower from the last arrangement they passed. He tucked it behind Gwen’s ear just like he had earlier, then put an arm around her, drawing his warm hands up and down her arms. “Told you I’d get you another one,” he said, so gently she felt her heart twinge. “Come on, let’s get you back to the car. You look pooped.”

She managed to toss him a mock-dirty look at that, almost grateful that he’d done something to undermine the unbearable sweetness of the gesture immediately before. “Gee, thanks.”

He laughed softly. “Oh come on, you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. She was smiling, though.

Back at the car, she shrugged on her sweater while David rummaged in his back seat for a moment, and when he came around to the passenger side as she sat down, he was holding a small blanket. She tried to object, but he leaned down and tucked it around her legs anyway. “Just until the car warms up, at least,” he told her. A moment later, as he turned the keys in the ignition and buckled his seatbelt, he asked, “So what was the deal with that Yannick guy?”

“Oh, yeah, that,” she said with a sigh. “I dunno, he just… he really liked me back in high school. Like, really, really, really… _really_ liked me.” She put her elbow on the windowsill and propped her chin on her hand. “To the point that people who normally didn’t care about me one way or the other knew and found it uncomfortable. I mean, you could probably tell tonight that he was awkward – back then it was way, way worse. He came off creepy a lot of the time. It was… kind of awful.”

“Oh, dear,” David said, frowning sympathetically. Eyes still on the road, he reached over and touched her knee through the blanket, giving her a pat and then a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry you went through that, that sounds dreadful. You were… kinder to him tonight than I would’ve expected, given that context.”

Gwen pulled a face. “Yeah. He doesn’t seem creepy any more, just kind of… lonely and disconnected. It made me feel bad.” She dropped her free hand into her lap, and it landed near David’s, which hadn’t moved. “I didn’t quite know what to do. I don’t know if I actually want to catch up with him at all, but I didn’t feel right just turning away without offering some kind of… apology, or something.” She shrugged.

“That was very kind of you,” David told her. “I hope he’s easier to get along with now.”

“Me too.” She sighed heavily, shaking her head. “What a weird day.”

“How are you feeling about it, overall?” he asked, slowly taking his hand back so he could navigate a turn.

“Mm… tired, mostly,” she admitted. “It was draining.”

“Understandably.”

“But…” she chewed her lip. “It wasn’t all bad. There were a lot of people I really didn’t need to see again. But you were right in that reconnecting with Jennica and her family felt really good, and I… I think I probably _should_ put some effort into maintaining that. It would be… good for me, I think.”

“I’m really glad to hear that,” David said, sparing her a remarkably warm smile. “I think you’re right. They seem like good people. Exactly the kind of people you need in your life.”

“You only say that because they’re so much like you,” she laughed lightly.

“So does that mean that _I’m_ the kind of people you need in your life?” he asked with a grin.

She snorted. “You dork.” It wasn’t an answer, but he seemed pleased with it. She hated how warm she felt now, how despite her exhaustion there was a pleasant fuzziness in her belly. She blamed it on the car warming up and pulled the blanket off her lap, tossing it over her shoulder into the back seat. “It was unexpectedly nice to chat with Ken, too. I kind of wish I’d known him better back in school, now. But I’m glad his life is going so well now.”

“He and Miyako were just lovely!” David agreed. “And I’m so excited for their little one! What a wonderful kid that’ll be!”

Gwen laughed again. “You’re not wrong,” she agreed. “I should’ve guessed how well you and Ken would get along. He’s your kind of guy.”

David tossed her another smile. “I’m really glad you were able to enjoy parts of the experience.”

“Yeah.” She smiled too, looking down at her lap. “Thanks again for coming with me. It would’ve been way harder to enjoy on my own. I’m glad you came.”

“Any time,” he promised easily. After that they both grew quiet, and David seemed to get thoughtful. Gwen leaned forward to turn the radio on, volume low, content to make the rest of the drive without talking. There was a lot on her mind.

 

Forty minutes later, David pulled up outside the shitty little one-storey apartment building Gwen shared with half a dozen other tenants. For a second or two they sat in an odd silence, as if neither was quite ready to say goodbye. Finally, Gwen broke the silence, thanking him again for the company and the ride, wishing him a good night. She was strangely disappointed when he didn’t quite face her as he responded, but when she moved to open the door, he suddenly cleared his throat. She turned back.

“Gwen,” David said quietly, still looking at the steering wheel. “Can I just ask a question, before you go in?”

“Yeah,” she answered, looking up at him. “What’s up?”

Finally he looked over and met her eye, and she wasn’t sure how to read his expression – a little bit cautious, a little bit uncertain, a little bit something else. “I’m just curious,” he said slowly. “How come you stopped telling people I was ‘just a friend’ halfway through the night?”

She paused, barely stopping herself from flinching. She had really, really hoped he wouldn’t notice. “I just… I just got tired of no one listening,” she said haltingly, licking her lips. “People kept implying and I kept denying but it… didn’t seem like anyone believed me. So. I just. Gave up.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing her for a moment. Oh, he knew her too well by now, knew her favourite excuses and workarounds, had finally learned to tell when she was deflecting. “That’s all?” he asked, because of course he wasn’t going to push, of course he’d leave it up to her how much truth to tell.

And that was exactly why it was so hard to lie to him. She deflated somewhat, sighing heavily, and settled back into her seat a little. “I mean, it’s just that…” She looked down at her hands. “When I took that long breather just before dinner. I ended up in the washroom for a while, and I was sitting in a stall when I heard a few girls come in and gossip around the sink, and I listened while they talked all fake-nicely about how surprised they were to see me with a guy like _you_. It was obvious they thought you were way out of my league. And you _are_ , but that was just so _frustrating_ to hear… to realise that their expectations of me were so _low_ … I just thought, man, if it’s so unbelievable that I could _possibly_ date a guy like you, why not just stop denying it and let them believe it for one night? What’s the harm? They can suck on their low opinions.” She swallowed thickly. “I kind of hoped you wouldn’t really notice.”

He was quiet for a second, thinking. “It didn’t stand out much at first,” he said. “I was surprised when you didn’t say anything to Ken and Miyako, but then I kind of forgot. Until what Jennica’s _abuela_ said. That kind of stuck out, you know?”

Her eyes snapped back up in surprise. “But that was-!”

David raised his eyebrows at her. “I speak some Spanish, Gwen. Maybe not _well_ , but certainly enough to understand _that_ exchange.”

She reddened. “And you didn’t say anything at the time?”

“Didn’t seem like the time or place for a conversation like this,” he pointed out.

Gwen groaned and put her hands over her face. “I’m sorry. This is so embarrassing. I didn’t mean to like… _use_ you, David. I just figured it was, you know… harmless.”

He paused again. “You shouldn’t let the opinions of people like that get to you so much,” he said softly. “You should know that you’re _amazing_ , no matter what a bunch of people who were cool back in high school think.” He chewed his lip for a moment, then added, “And anyway, if you’d let me in on it, I would’ve played along, you know. I wouldn’t mind being your boyfriend for the night if it made things easier on you.”

She peeked at him through her fingers, face still burning. He was a little red himself now, and clearly struggling to maintain eye contact. “I don’t deserve someone like you,” she moaned. “You’re too kind to me.”

“You _absolutely_ deserve this,” he argued. “And then some. You’re wonderful and you deserve all the kindness in the world.”

She laughed, a bit hysterically. “Don’t push it.”

“I’m– I’m not!” he insisted, frowning now. “Anyone would be lucky to date you! You’re smart, you’re tough, you’re hardworking, you’re fun, you’re ambitious, you’re creative, you’re beautiful – I _mean_ it. If a bunch of girls you never liked in the _first_ place, a _decade_ ago, can’t see all that, it’s their own blindness. I’ve spent enough time with you over the last few years to see how much you shine, and you still surprise me all the time. You _have_ to believe me, Gwen.”

Her hands had fallen from her face somewhere halfway through his little speech, and now she just looked at him, stunned. “ _David_ ,” she managed finally, in a small voice.

The sound of his name seemed to break through his intensity, and he looked away suddenly, face flushed. “I-I just… want you to know,” he said quietly. “That you’re important. And worth something.”

Gwen suddenly wished she wasn’t wearing a dress, or at least that she still had that blanket on her lap, because she wanted nothing more than to draw her knees up to her chest and wrap her arms around them, hug herself comfortingly until this feeling of shame went away. How come David’s high opinion of her made her feel so strange and bittersweet?

“I just, um.” He paused, considering his words. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hands flexing in his lap. “When Señora Espinoza – Jennica’s _abuela_ – when she said we looked sweet together, and that we reminded her of herself and her husband when they were young… Well, I thought that was a really sweet thing of her to say. And, well, you seemed awfully flattered too.”

“I’m… yeah,” she said, more to her feet than to him. “It was… really cute.”

“I also…” David glanced up towards her, just a little. “Gosh, do you really think _I’m_ out of _your_ league?”

She thought back a second – damn, she _had_ said that out loud. After a beat, she simply nodded.

“Because I would’ve said _you_ were out of _mine_ ,” he continued softly. “Gosh, Gwen, how could I ever measure up to you?”

She snorted. “David, you have your life together. You work your dream job, you can get along with a roomful of strangers no problem, you own a car and have a nice apartment… you love to _cook_ , for god’s sake.” She knew he didn’t have his life together – it was a silly excuse, and yet, it still felt true. Even though she knew he was a doofus, he seemed much more adult than she felt.

“And I barely keep my insomnia in check,” he countered. “I regularly forget how to do basic paperwork, and I still let my mouth get ahead of my brain every day. I have as many flaws as anyone. But when I look at you, I see a woman who never stops striving for better things, a woman who’s got so far yet to go in life, and I just count myself lucky to have been here for you on your journey.”

Gwen wasn’t sure why she felt like crying all of a sudden. She raised her face to look at him properly, and he was looking at her so intently again, red-faced and determined to get through to her. “David… what are we doing right now?” she asked finally.

He blinked, and his lowered brows relaxed slightly, then knitted in mild concern. “I… I don’t really know,” he admitted.

“I just–” She ran through the conversation again, letting herself put pieces together, pieces that she hadn’t quite allowed herself to hear for what they were the first time. _‘I wouldn’t mind being your boyfriend for the night.’ ‘Anyone would be lucky to date you.’ ‘How could I ever measure up to you?’_ “Just, from some of the things you said, it sounds like…”

“Like I’m hopelessly in love with you?” David supplied, face somehow growing even redder. She stared at him, surprised, and his eyes shifted down. “I try not to be so obvious all the time, but I know I fail. It’s just so _hard_ not to tell you all the time how amazing I think you are, especially when you so often believe that you _aren’t_ , or that nobody _loves_ you. I just want you to _know_ , Gwen.”

“David,” she said, and swallowed hard, because she was about to take the leap that mere hours ago she’d been convinced she never would, never _could_. She waited for him to meet her eye again. “You should know that I… that I’ve gone out of my way not to think of you romantically over the last few years. For a lot of reasons.” He cast his gaze down again, pulling back slightly. Gwen swallowed a second time and reached out to nudge his chin up with one knuckle until he looked at her. “Hey, let me finish,” she said, more weakly than she meant to. “I had a lot of reasons, and they were reasons like _he’s not my type,_ or _but we work together_ , or _I’m really better off single anyway_ , or _we just wouldn’t suit each other_. But… as you saw today, my ‘type’ is generally shitty. And who gives a fuck if we work together, and I’m only better off single if the alternative is the kind of guy I _normally_ date, and it’s become increasingly clear over the years that we complement each other really well. So, um, I guess if you take a really, really aggressive case of denial out of the picture, I’ve actually been falling for you for a while.”

“You–…” he cut himself off, processing for a long moment. Then he managed a strangled little, “What?”

“I think you’d be good for me,” she told him in simple terms. “And I… hope I could be good for you. And I think it would be worth finding out.”

“Oh,” David answered. Then, “So…”

Tired of waiting, Gwen reached out to grab him by the collar of his shirt and haul him forwards for a kiss. Leaning in, she met him in the middle, and they hung there for a moment, kissing over the center console of his car.

“Oh,” he repeated, more quietly, when she finally broke away.

“Oh?” she teased.

“Oh,” he said again, nodding as he slowly came to his senses. “ _Oh_ , as in, _oh_ , I’m head over heels in love with you; as in, _oh_ , that was the best kiss of my life.”

“Ah.” She smiled and kissed him again, lingering a little this time, sucking lightly on his lower lip as she dragged slowly away. He let out a little breath, betraying surprise and pleasure, even as one of his hands drifted up to cup her cheek. “I don’t know. I feel like maybe you should come inside so I can judge better. Cars aren’t the _best_ places for kissing.”

His eyes drifted open; he still seemed a little stunned. “Inside?” he asked, meeting her gaze. She was grinning.

“I mean, if you want to.”

He licked his lips and smiled. “I really, really do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Heya. Sorry if my Spanish is a bit clunky - I only ever got intro-level lessons so I leaned a bit on Google for help. Feel free to let me know if it can be improved!
> 
> Translation notes:  
> Chica and pollito = both basic terms of endearment; pretty obvious I should think?  
> The exchange between Gwen and Abuela-  
> "You two are the sweetest pair, Gwen."  
> "Thanks, grandma. You know, you and grandpa are very sweet yourselves."  
> "We are! You two remind me of us, when we were young."  
> "You're too kind."  
> "I'm glad you're happy now, dear. You deserve it."  
> "Thank you, grandma. I love you."  
> "I love you too."
> 
> <3


End file.
